1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a database apparatus and to a method of controlling the operation of the database apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A relational database has requisite input items and optional input items. A requisite input item is such that unless element data is entered for this item, element data of the record that contains the item cannot be stored in the database. An optional input item is such that even if element data is not entered for this item, element data of the record that contains the item can be stored in the database.
Because data in a record containing a requisite input item cannot be stored in a database unless element data is entered for this item, element data that a user attempts to input for the requisite input item cannot be entered later.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to allow the storage of element data, which is necessary to accomplish storage in a database, in the database even if not all of the element data has been entered in a record.
According to the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing a database apparatus comprising: a relational database in which requisite input items and quasi-requisite input items have been defined; a first determination unit (first determination means) for determining, in response to application of a store command, whether element data of a requisite input item has been entered; a storage unit (storage means) for storing, in the relational database, element data of a record containing a requisite input item for which the first determination unit has determined that element data has been entered; a second determination unit (second determination means) for determining whether element data has not been stored for a quasi-requisite input item of the relational database; an alerting unit which, in response to a determination by the second determination unit that element data has not been stored, is for giving notification to this effect; and a controller for limiting access to the relational database in dependence upon the fact that the quasi-requisite input item is vacant for a certain period of time following storage of element data in the relational database.
The present invention provides also a method suited to the above-described apparatus. Specifically, the method comprises the steps of: defining requisite input items and quasi-requisite input items in a relational database; determining, in response to application of a store command, whether element data of a requisite input item has been entered; storing, in the relational database, element data of a record containing a requisite input item for which it has been determined that element data has been entered; determining whether element data has not been stored for a quasi-requisite input item of the relational database; in response to a determination that element data has not been stored, giving notification to this effect; and limiting access to the relational database in dependence upon the fact that the quasi-requisite input item is vacant for a certain period of time following storage of element data in the relational database.
In accordance with the present invention, quasi-requisite input items are defined in addition to the above-mentioned optional input items. As described above, a requisite input item is such that unless element data is entered for this item, element data of the record that contains the item cannot be stored in a database. A quasi-requisite input item is such that even if element data is not entered for this item, the record containing the item can be stored in the database though utilization of the database is limited when this item is vacant for a certain period of time.
In accordance with the present invention, whether element data has been entered for a requisite input item is determined when a store command is applied. If element data has been entered for a requisite input item, element data in the record that contains this requisite input item is stored in the relational database.
Furthermore, whether element data has not been stored for a quasi-requisite input item of the relational database is determined. When element data has not been stored for a quasi-requisite input item, notification of this fact is given. If a quasi-requisite input item is vacant for a certain period of time, access to the relational database is inhibited.
In accordance with the present invention, quasi-requisite input items are defined and even if element data has not been entered for a quasi-requisite input item, element data of a record that contains this quasi-requisite input item can be stored in a relational database. If element data has not been entered for the quasi-requisite input item, notification to this effect is given to thereby alert the user. If the quasi-requisite input item is vacant for a fixed period of time, access to the relational database is limited.
Thus, in accordance with the present invention, even if an item (a quasi-requisite input item) requiring an input is vacant for the time being, element data can be stored as relational data. The necessary element data can be stored in the relational database later.
The alert can be realized as by transmitting e-mail, placing a call by a telephone, performing a facsimile transmission using a facsimile machine or producing an output by a printer.
Further, it may be so arranged that the alert is repeated at regular time intervals.
Furthermore, if image data has been stored in a database as element data, images (inclusive of thumbnail images) represented by this image data may be output or the image data may be transmitted to thereby give notification of the images. Since the images can be checked, the user can ascertain the element data that should be input for a quasi-requisite input item in regard to the particular content.